Circuits
Taupo - Round 6 - 18-20 March 2011
- Nearest City
- Taupo (8km)
- Circuit Description
- 3.5km, 14 corners, Anticlockwise
- Surface
- Slurry/Hot mix seal
- Top Speed
- 220-230 km/h
- Spectator Facilities
- Temporary grandstands, raised embankments, hospitality suites
- Lap Record
- Tim Edgell - Ford Falcon BA - 1:36.169 (2010)
- Website
- http://www.tauporacetrack.co.nz
A Falcon perspective - John McIntyre
Similar to Ruapuna in the many corners linked by a long straight, the difference here is the surface. Wind brings the local volcanic dust across the racing line which kills good lap times. You need a very good car here to get through the 1st and 2nd gear, slightly off-camber turns 2, 3, 4 and 5, which rise and fall – not ideal for a big heavy V8. Exiting turn 6 in 1st gear you head through the quick 3rd gear left hander before changing down and throwing the car into the right hander 8, needing a great exit to travel up the “uphill” clubhouse straight. Turn 9 is a very tricky, no-camber left hand Sweeper. This is a great corner for passing if you can get inside the guy in front and set up a drag race down the main chute. Approaching turns 10 & 11 you’re doing 225k as you hold your breath and brake super-late before throwing the car into the left-right-left sequence leading onto the front straight. The car needs to be nimble through the tight infield and be able to get good drive out of the slippery low speed corners.
A Commodore perspective - Andy Booth
The new Taupo race complex is without doubt the grandest motorsport facility project in NZ to date, world class facilities and a gorgeous scenic backdrop that only NZ could provide. Plenty of passing opportunities but equally easy to defend on, the racing is generally close and hard. Unlike most NZ race tracks Taupo has undulations giving it some character and different challenges in terms of car set up and driving style. The 1st braking point past the pits is downhill putting greater demands on the brakes and tyres, it’s easy to overshoot and a clean line through turn 1 is essential. Most of the infield section is switching between 1st and 2nd gear, always tempting the driver into pushing just a little harder but over driving is not rewarded. The new section joining the new circuit with the original Taupo track is fast and taking slightly blind over a crest (well it is for a little fella like me!!), again push too hard and you’ll drop a wheel on the grass at the exit, too conservative and you lose time all the way down to turn 10. Flattening out the old sweeper has made the entry onto the new much longer straight very slow and critical to both lap times and overtaking opportunities on the straight. Very much a modern circuit, slow and technical, seems to get a little better every time I drive it…….perhaps it's maturing???
